In integrated circuit designs, on-chip capacitors are used in various applications including dynamic random access memories (DRAM), voltage controlled oscillators (VCO), phase-lock loops, operational amplifiers and other circuit designs. On-chip capacitors are also used to decouple circuits from noise in a separate portion of an electrical system.
Metal-oxide-metal (MOM) capacitors are a type of on-chip capacitor. MOM capacitors are formed using metal lines and metal vias in an interconnect structure. A dielectric material of the interconnect structure is used as the oxide in an MOM capacitor.
High voltage (HV) applications are used in various applications, such as input/output devices. Core logic devices usually operate at a lower voltage than the input/output devices. A device operating using a high voltage, e.g., 5 volts, experiences more stress than devices operating using a lower voltage, e.g., 1.2 volts.